Division within the Netherlands’s Christian Democratic Appell (CDA) party over dealing with the far-right PVV party of anti-Islamist politician Geert Wilders deepened Friday with a top leader insisting talks with the PVV should continue.

CDA parliamentary faction leader Maxime Verhagen ruled out suspending talks with the PVV – rejecting a call made the day before by former premier Ruud Lubbers – on getting the PVV’s backing for a minority government.

Verhagen said any suspension of the talks was out of the question. The work towards forming a Wilders-approved minority cabinet was in full swing, he said. “I expect that we will achieve a good result with which we can convince Mr. Lubbers,” Verhagen said.﻿